Reluctant Angel
by Jade Stiger
Summary: Penhall and Hanson try to help but get in to more than they can handle.


"Reluctant Angel" by Jade Stiger

Fandom: 21 Jump Street

Rating: G Warning: Angst!

e-mail for feedback: jadestiger@2die4.com

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. I don't make any money from this. I started out with nothing and I still have most of it left so if you try to sue me that's all you'll get!

Thanks to my betas, you are fantastic!

The car skidded on the wet pavement, tires screaming in the night. There was a loud crash as it impacted with a parked truck.

Doug grabbed Tom's arm, pulling him toward the wreck.

"Doug, it's not our job. Let's wait for the ambulance."

Doug frowned at his partner, "Come on, Tom. It won't hurt you to help someone out of a wrecked car." he said continuing to drag the younger man toward the vehicles.

Tom sighed, shaking free from Doug's hold. "Alright."

Doug pulled on the driver's door, it was stubborn but finally yielded to his determined strength, opening with a loud crack. He reached into the car and caught the young woman who was sitting in the driver's seat. She tried to unfasten her seatbelt but she couldn't get it to release. Doug pulled a knife out of his pocket and cut the seatbelt then eased the woman out of the mangled car.

"My baby ..." she mumbled as Doug picked her up.

"Tom, can you get the baby out of the car seat in the back?" Doug asked passing the knife to his partner.

Tom took the knife as Doug stepped away from the mangled wreck. Tom put his hand behind the car seat and cut the seatbelt holding the seat in. The baby began to cry as he pulled the seat free and climbed out of the car. Tom set the seat on the pavement and unbuckled the baby, pulling the sobbing infant close and smiling as its cries ceased.

"It's alright, little one," he said, patting the child and walking toward the sidewalk where Doug and the baby's mother waited.

The car behind him exploded suddenly and Tom felt the hot force of it drive him to his knees. He struggled to stay upright and not fall on the child he cradled close. Doug shouted to him and Tom regained his feet and staggered to the sidewalk. He fell to his knees, and the baby's mother reached out and took the infant from him.

"You saved my baby!" she cried.

Tom felt a hot dampness in his chest and the hand he touched to the area came away spotted with blood.

"Tom?" said Doug, looking worriedly at his partner. "You hurt?"

Tom held his hand out to Doug, showing him the blood on his palm.

Doug took his hand, examining it, "Oh, man, Hanson, you scared the hell out me." he sighed. "I thought you were really hurt."

Tom sat back, putting his hand back over the burning wound on his chest. He felt cold suddenly and very tired.

Doug watched his partner sit down heavily on the wet pavement. "Tom?"

Tom opened his mouth to speak but no sound came, only a bright blossom of blood that streamed down his face. He was aware of Doug catching him as he fell forward. He lay in Doug's arms, feeling his heart jump erratically in his chest.

"Tom!" Penhall shouted. 

***

"Officer down!" Harry shouted.

Every officer in the Chapel Street Station immediately fell silent, looking to the oriental officer, wondering who the officer was.

"Who?" Judy called.

"Don't know, all the caller said was that she'd been given this number and to tell someone here there was an officer down at 129th and Central." Harry replied. 

"Doug and Tom are down there on a stakeout." Judy gasped.

"Medics are rolling to the location, let's go Judy." he said, grabbing his jacket and heading for the door.

***

Dennis and Captain Fuller were headed back to the station when they heard the call come over the radio.

"Do you think it could be Doug or Tom? They were down there."

Fuller flipped on the siren and lights. "Let's go see."

They arrived just before Harry and Judy.

"Tom!" Judy screamed, seeing the young detective lying in Doug's arms.

They rushed over, all kneeling beside their fallen friend.

"What happened?" the captain asked. "I thought you two were on a stakeout."

Doug looked up, tears filling his eyes. "DeAngelo was settled in, nothing was happening so when we saw this car crash we went to help. Tom was rescuing the baby when the car exploded." He lifted his hand from his partner's chest, revealing a slowly spreading red stain. "I think a piece of the car hit him."

Judy reached out, stroking the dark hair back from Tom's eyes. "We're all here Tom, everything will be alright." She choked back a sob as more blood streamed from Tom's lips as he coughed. "You just rest, you'll be alright."

"I'm cold." Tom whispered.

Doug tore off his jacket and covered his friend. "The ambulance is coming, just hold on Tom."

Tom looked for a moment at each of the faces of his friends, holding their worried gazes with his eyes. He felt no more pain, just a deep and heavy weariness that pressed him back against Doug's strong arms. He took a deep breath and let it slide slowly out past the blood that filled his mouth and closed his eyes. 

Tom's body went limp, the breath sighing from his bloody lips and Doug threw back his head, his wordless scream tore through the rainy night, and through the hearts of his friends.


End file.
